From the Principal Week 4
Dear Families,
This week is SCA Feast Week, the time when we remember our patron, St Clare of Assisi, and we give thanks for the wonderful school community we are all part of. We are looking forward to Friday, when we will celebrate St Clare, and focus on ways in which we can be like St Clare, and make our world a better place.
St Clare devoted her life to God, leaving her family and their lifestyle behind and following closely in the footsteps of St Francis and his mission. Following Francis’ death, Clare continued to work in the Assisi area, in the church that Francis ‘rebuilt’ and began her own order called the Poor Clare’s. The Poor Clare Sisters still work in Assisi, Italy, and around the world.
St Clare once told her sisters that…“When lips cease to pray, let your hands begin”, meaning in essence that our actions often speak longer and louder than our words ever can. Clare built her life around the values of love and service so during our Feast Week we should all take a minute to reflect on our relationship with each other and God. How often do we consider others’ needs before our own or reflect on putting ourselves in someone else’s shoes before reacting or judging them?
This week we also celebrated the feast day of St Mary MacKillop. One of the most used, motivating and known sayings of Mary MacKillop is:
“Never see a need without doing something about it. (1871).
Monday was the feast of St Mary MacKillop. A simple way to acknowledge our first Australian saint would be to discuss the above quote at the family table tonight. If each family were to identify one practical thing they could do to help someone in their community, we would all wake up to a better world tomorrow.
Student Privacy and Cameras at School
Our school is bound by strict Commonwealth privacy legislation, strictly limiting the information we can provide or share about students. This is of course, other than directly to a child’s family. We are aware of a number of our families who do not consent to sharing photo or video images of their child.
For this reason I sought advice from Catholic Education Canberra Goulburn regarding the use of cameras at school. Their advice is that no person should take photos or videos of a student at school, unless it is with a school authorised camera. Any images must then be transferred to the secure, school server, and only shared as approved by parental advice upon enrolment. They must then be deleted from the camera or device.
We therefore advise that parents are not to take photos or videos of their child participating in school events. Parents, and other family members, continue to be warmly welcome at all school events. You are welcome, and encouraged to enjoy the assembly, liturgy, carnival etc in real time.
Parents will still be allowed to take an individual photo of their child, for example, after receiving an award, or participating in an assembly, and ensuring no other child or adult (unless they have approved) is in the photo.
I understand that this will disappoint some people. We have not made this decision lightly, and only in the interests of the safety of each child, and to ensure we meet our legal obligations.
Please do not hesitate to speak with me regarding this, or any other issue.
Student Safety
To ensure the safety of all our students, external gates will be closed around 8.50am each day. If you are inside the school grounds at this time the easiest way to leave will be via the front office. If you are dropping your child off after 8.50, you will need to sign them in at the front office.
Special Event this Friday
This Friday promises to be a special day for our community. We commence the day with a community Mass in our Hall at 9.15am. You are most welcome to join us.
It was once said…
“Go forth in peace. Go forth without fear, for he who created you has made you holy, has always protected you, and loves you as a mother.” – St Clare of Assisi
Blessings to you and your family.
Matt Egan-Richards
Principal